Coin operated vending machine

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the resilient gripping means is composed of rubber.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the resilient gripping means is generally cylindrical.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 in which the resilient gripping means includes a concave section.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the resilient gripping means comprises a series of resilient axially spaced apart discs.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resilient rolling member includes a shaft carrying the resilient gripping means, and means for rotating the rolling member includes a roller gear on one end of the shaft engaging an actuating gear revolving with the dispensing wheel.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the actuating gear is disposed above the roller gear.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the actuating gear is formed on a radial flange extending around a base of an agitator cone.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the surface of the rolling member advances at a greater speed than the speed of the advancing dispensing wheel.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the surface of the rolling member facing the dispensing wheel advances at a speed approximately one-third greater than the speed of the advancing dispensing wheel.

Claim 12

A coin operated vending machine comprising: a housing having a partition between the base and the top dividing the housing into an upper product bin and a lower cash box, the partition having an aperture defining an entrance to a delivery chute and having a spindle protruding upwardly from a central portion thereof; a dispensing wheel having: a hub with bearing means at the centre thereof for engaging the spindle, a rim with a plurality of gear teeth about the circumference thereof, and retaining members provided between the hub and the rim defining a plurality of product openings in the wheel; a coin activated gear mechanism having a handle actuating a transmission gear engaging the teeth on the rim of the dispensing wheel; and means positioned above the dispensing wheel over the aperture for preventing loose articles in the product bin from being dispensed through the aperture, comprising a housing having a top and sides extending from an outer wall of the product bin to the spindle; the improvement comprising a rolling member having a shaft and resilient gripping means mounted across an entrance to the housing, the shaft being in a plane parallel to the plane of the dispensing wheel, and means for rotating the rolling member as the dispensing wheel revolves, in a direction opposite to the direction of revolution of the dispensing wheel, whereby the rolling member frictionally engages articles seated on the dispensing wheel outside of a container and conveys said articles to the top of the housing to be entrained in the flow of articles in the product bin.

Claim 13

A coin operated vending machine comprising: a housing having a partition between the base and the top dividing the housing into an upper product bin and a lower cash box, the partition having an aperture defining an entrance to a delivery chute and having a spindle protruding upwardly from a central portion thereof; a dispensing wheel having: a hub with bearing means at the centre thereof for engaging the spindle, a rim with a plurality of gear teeth about the circumference thereof, and retaining members provided between the hub and the rim defining a plurality of product openings in the wheel; a coin activated gear mechanism having a handle actuating a transmission gear engaging the teeth on the rim of the dispensing wheel; and means positioned above the dispensing wheel over the aperture for preventing loose articles in the product bin from being dispensed through the aperture, comprising a housing having a top and sides extending from an outer wall of the product bin to the spindle; the improvement comprising a rolling member having a shaft and resilient gripping means mounted across an entrance to the housing, the shaft being in a plane parallel to the plane of the dispensing wheel, and means for rotating the rolling member as the dispensing wheel revolves, in a direction opposite to the direction of revolution of the dispensing wheel, whereby the rolling member frictionally engages articles seated on the dispensing wheel outside of a container and conveys said articles to the top of the housing to be entrained in the flow of articles in the product bin.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein means for rotating the rolling member includes a roller gear on one end of the shaft, engaging an actuating gear revolving with the dispensing wheel.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the actuating gear is disposed above the rolling gear.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 in which the resilient gripping member is composed of rubber.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 11 in which the resilient gripping member is generally cylindrical.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 in which the resilient gripping member includes a concave section.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 11 in which the resilient gripping member comprises a series of resilient axially spaced apart discs.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the surface of the resilient rolling member facing the dispensing wheel rotates at a greater speed than the speed of the advancing dispensing wheel.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the surface of the rolling member facing the dispensing wheel advances at a speed approximately one-third greater than the speed of the advancing dispensing wheel.